Half to frederick w



(No Model.)

E. L. RICE;

TANK.

Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

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NITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

ROBERT E. LEE RICE, OF NEIV ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOFREDERICK V. YOUNG, OF SAME PLACE.

TANK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,265, dated March 2,1897.

Application filed November 23, 1896. Serial No. 613,058- (No model.)

To a'ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. LEE RICE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State ofLouisiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tanks;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of tanks which aredesigned more especially for catching and holding rain-water, and whichare provided with overflowpipes for carrying off the water after theyare filled. As such tanks are now constructed the overflow-pipes areconnected to them adjacent to their upper ends, and in consequence whenthe tank is partlyfilled with stale water or water which has beenstanding for some time and fresh water flows into the upper end of thesame such fresh water will rise to the top of the tank and when the sameis full will flow off through the overflow-pipe, leaving the stale waterin the tank. The general object of my invention is to overcome thisobjection by providing means whereby when stale water is contained inthe tank and fresh water flows into the same the stale water will bedisplaced by the fresh water and will be carried off in the overflow,leaving the fresh and wholesome water in the tank.

Withthe foregoing end in view the invention will be fully understoodfrom the following description and claims when taken in conjunction withthe annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional perspective Viewof a tank equipped with my improvements, and Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe tank with the overflow-pipes in section.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, A indicates a tank,which maybe of metal,wood, or any other suitable material and of any desirableshape and size, and B indicates a pipe which is disposed vertically atthe side of the tank A and is preferably connected thereto in anysuitable manner. This pipe B is designed to be connected at its lowerend with a pipe leading to a sewer or other point of discharge, and ithas its upper end open and arranged to receive from a spout C,communicating with the interior of the tank adjacent to the upper endthereof, such spout Obeing designed for use in the event of the water.pouring into the tank in such quantities that my improved overflow(presently described) cannot unassisted prevent the water from flowingover the upper edge of the tank.

D indicates my improved overflowpipe, which is disposed vertically atthe side of the tank and is by preference connected thereto in anysuitable manner. This pipe D is connected with the interior of the. tankat or adjacent to the bottom thereof, and it preferably has' its upperend open, so that no resistance will be offered to the rise of water init. At its lower end in alinement'with the aperture connecting pipe Dand the interior of the tank A said pipe D is preferably connected witha branch E, which is provided with a cock F, for use in drawing off thewater as desired. In-lieu of the cock F'the pipe E might be closed by asuitable screw-cap, which could be removed when it is desired to inserta stick or rod and thereby stir up the sediment in the bottom of thetank and permit it to run off through pipe E. I

G indicates a pipe which is arranged in a plane below the spout O andupper end of the tank and connects the pipe D and the pipe B when thelatter is employed. \Vhen the pipe B is not employed, the pipe G may beconnected with a pipe (not illustrated) leading to a sewer or otherdischarge-point.

In virtue of the construction described, when the tank is partly filledwith stale or old water, as shown in Fig. 1, and water flows into theupper end of tank A from a downspout or other conduit, it will beobserved that by reason of the water seeking its level the stale waterwill be displaced and will rise in the pipe E and reaching the pipe Gwill flow through the same and the pipe B to the sewer or otherdischarge-point. This will continue so long as the water continues toflow into the upper end of the tank, and consequently it will be seenthat when the rain ceases to fall and the flow of water into the tankstops the said tank will contain fresh water only,which is an importantadvantage and a desideratum in this class of devices.

In the event of a very heavy rainfall the displaced stale water will becarried oil through the pipes D G B, as described,while the surpluswater which would otherwise flow over the upper end of the tank willpass through the spout C and pipe B to the sewer or otherdischarge-point.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that while my improvements arevery cheap and simple and add but little to the cost ofa tank theyinsure the displacement and discharge of stale water from the tank whena sufficient quantity of fresh water flows into the same.

lVhen desirable, my improvements may be applied to cisterns, that is tosay, those tanks or water-receptacles which are arranged in the groundand are built of masonry, metal, or wood.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination of atank, a spout conn ected with the tank and communicating with theinterior of the same adjacent to its upper end, a pipe B, having itsupper end open and arranged to receive from the spout, a pipe D,connected with the interior of the tank adjacent to the lower endthereof and extending upwardly and havingits upper end open, and a pipeconnecting the pipes D and B; said pipe being arranged in a plane belowthe spout, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a tank, a pipe D, connected with the interior ofthe tank adjacent to the lower end thereof and extending upwardly andhaving its upper end open, a pipe G, connected at one end to the pipe D,at an intermediate pointin the length thereof, and a pipe connected withthe opposite end of the pipe G, and adapted to be connected with a pointof discharge, substantially as specified.

In testimon; whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT E. LEE RICE.

